Heritage Community Foundation Presents Grant to the Association of Village PRIDE, Inc.

Jonesboro, Ga. (February 3rd, 2017) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Pam Reid, Executive Director, and other staff members of the Association of Village PRIDE, Inc. (AVPRIDE) on December 19, 2016. The $3,000 grant will be used by AVPRIDE to help cover tutoring costs and gas expenses for students participating in The Fayette County Workforce Initiative Project, a program designed to assist out-of-school youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are unemployed or underemployed. AVPRIDE helps the young people enrolled in the program create a career pathway by providing growth opportunities, employment skills training, and work-based learning opportunities.

The mission of AVPRIDE is to assist Fayette County youth in becoming conscientious and productive citizens of society who will make significant contributions to their community. AVPRIDE currently has partnerships with three Fayette County employers in industries that align with the Governor’s High Demand Career Initiative: 1) Film – Pinewood Studios; 2) Healthcare – Fayette Piedmont Hospital; and 3) Information Technology ‐ Panasonic. The HCF grant will assist AVPRIDE in two primary ways. First, it will help cover tutoring costs. Often while preparing youth participants for these new experiences, deficits in learning must be made up through academic tutoring so they can pass their GED, gain additional computer skills, or prepare for post-secondary entrance exams. Secondly, the HCF grant will help cover gas expenses. Participants often need transportation to workshops, tutoring sessions and community service projects that form an inherent part of the program. Because Fayette County lacks a public transportation system, AVPRIDE purchased a 15 passenger van as a way to overcome that barrier, but needs gas in order to operate it.

For more information on how to apply for a grant with Heritage Community Foundation, make a donation or volunteer, please visit www.heritagecommunityfoundation.org. You may also contact Jenny Smith, Chairperson, at 770-478-8881.

Heritage Community Foundation (HCF) is a 501c3 organization which provides funding to local nonprofit organizations in Clayton, Henry and Fayette counties. HCF is designed to support Heritage Bank’s first mission, “Committed to those we serve.” The bank absorbs all of the operating costs of the foundation, so 100% of the funds raised go directly to meet community needs.

Heritage Bank, a state chartered commercial bank, has been serving metro Atlanta’s Southern Crescent since 1955. The independent community bank has six full-service offices, features a well-rounded offering of commercial and consumer products, and is an active, involved member of the community it serves. The company’s stock is traded under the symbol “CCFH”.

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Heritage Bank, a state chartered commercial bank, has been serving metro Atlanta's Southern Crescent since 1955. The independent community bank has six full service offices, features a well-rounded offering of commercial and consumer products, and is an active, involved member of the community it serves. The company’s stock is traded under the symbol "CCFH".